Headlines (Campus Updates)

Recruitment & Admissions Office - Brantford Campus

Task force will recommend a cohesive approach to the first-year student experience

Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing

Dec 14/12

A new Task Force on the 1st Year Experience has been struck to review, discuss and recommend a more comprehensive institutional approach to the first-year student experience at Laurier. The initiative is a joint strategy of the vice-president: academic and provost, and the vice-president of student affairs, and will be co-chaired by Deborah MacLatchy and David McMurray respectively.

“At Laurier, our focus is on human development and a learning experience that emphasizes the whole person, which includes intellectual, personal and cultural development,” said McMurray. "We are eager to begin our work, which we anticipate will lead to a more comprehensive and cohesive institutional approach to the first-year student experience at Laurier."

The task force, which consists of appointed members from a broad representation of all areas of Laurier’s campuses, will consider the goals of the first-year student experience, guiding principles and desired first-year competencies, skills and outcomes.

"First and foremost, we want our first-year students to succeed academically so they can flourish as Laurier students throughout their time with us until graduation,” said MacLatchy. “This task force will help us examine all the factors that we should be considering to provide the environment first-year students need to transition well to university."

The task force will consult at various stages with the university community, including Senate and the Board of Governors, as it works through its process and develops preliminary reports. The recommendations in the final report will go to Senate and the Board of Governors.

The first meeting will be held before the end of the term to affirm the task force’s purpose, goals and responsibilities that will guide its path as the process gets underway in 2013.